Michael Vick, an NFL player who was convicted and served time for dog fighting in 2007, has gone to Washington D.C. to endorse an anti-animal fighting bill in Congress. Reuters reports that Vick, two U.S. representatives and national Humane Society president and CEO
Wayne Pacelle (pictured above with Vick) watched a grim video of a child watching a cock fight.

"In prison I told myself I want to be part of the solution, not the problem," says Vick. "These laws are not to punish people, but prevent people from getting involved."

The act is the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act of 2011 and it will strengthen penalties for people who finance illegal animal fighting and also close gaps in the existing laws dealing with bringing children to the fights. Vick says if those had been in place when he was growing up, perhaps he would not have gone down the path he did, as he said he saw animal fighting growing up.

"That child could be doing so much more with his life," says Vick, of the footage of the child at the cock fight. He adds that he'll remain involved "until we have a positive impact going for kids all around the world and we can put an end to it all."